Mum’s memorial to babies grows
TRIBUTE TO TINY HARRISON AS TREE BAUBLES GET WORLDWIDE DONATIONS
A MUM whose only child died just two days after he was born has organised a worldwide fund-raiser for Leicester babies.
Holly Stottor’s son Harrison was born premature on January 12 last year and suffered oxygen starvation. He died at Leicester Royal Infirmary two days later, weighing just 4lb 14oz.
A year ago, she was still mourning the loss and in no mood to celebrate Christmas at all. But this year she has found the perfect way to make Christmas about her son.
Hoby Trees, near Melton, has donated a 7ft Christmas tree for Holly to put in her front garden. She will decorate it with baubles dedicated to babies who were stillborn or died young.
Already, 50 people, including some from America, have made donations for their children to be named on the tree and all the money raised will go to neo-natal care at Leicester’s hospitals.
Holly, 27, of Church Hill Road, Thurmaston, said: “I didn’t really celebrate last Christmas because I had lost Harrison earlier that year but this year I’m going to have a Christmas tree of memories.
“It was my partner Ashley’s idea. We’ve got the glass baubles and the ones for girls will be filled with pink snow and the ones for boys with blue snow and each will have the baby’s name on it.
“I’ve already had 50 baubles dedicated and I’ll have to wait to see when it’s decorated how many more the tree can take!
“It’s a big tree and it’s going in my front garden so everyone can see it.”
Losing her son remains a terrible memory for Holly but she cherishes the time she had with him.
After the doctors and nurses realised there was nothing more they could do to save him, Holly was handed him so they could spend the last hours of his life together.
She said: “It broke my heart knowing there was nothing I could do to save my first-born child.
“The nurses and doctors gave me the chance to wash him, change his nappy and get him dressed like any mum would do with their child.
“On January 14, at 9pm, I sat down hugging Harrison tightly against my chest knowing it wouldn’t be long until we said our goodbyes.
“I remember feeling his hair through my fingertips and his heart stopped beating at 9.14pm and my beautiful boy gained his wings.”
So far, about £300 has been donated and it’s not the first time Holly has raised money for the hospitals. She said: “After Harrison died I set up a Facebook group called Harrison’s Hope and it started a community of people who had lost babies.
“Last year we had a fun day that raised about £600 for the hospitals but obviously this year I haven’t been able to do anything like that so I’m really happy to be doing something this Christmas.
“I want to give back to those nurses and doctors who helped me and Harrison on the unit.”
Visit Holly’s fund-raising site at: